Miramar by Windsor Copacabana

The location in Rio was fantastic and we had a great stay. The pipe flushing noise came and went, and there were no complimentary items such as water, which nobody made clear at check-in. With no prices shown by the fridge or on the counter, the charge at checkout felt a bit disingenuous. I asked for a receipt when checking out and still haven’t received it, which seems suspicious.

I spent seven days in a room on the 7th floor, directly under the rooftop swimming pool, and barely slept. The noise was like a whirlpool right above my head the whole time. I told reception on the first night, then again on the second and third, but they did nothing.

The bathroom amenities could be better, and we had trouble with the hairdryer. When I asked, the receptionist brought a replacement in about five minutes. The service was wonderful throughout: reception staff spoke English fluently, gave us advice and recommendations, and made us feel safe and welcome. They even checked us in a little early since the room was ready, then kept our luggage until we left later that evening.

Restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies and all kinds of shops are within two blocks, and Total Sucos takeout is just around the corner for good coffee. Uber was easy to get, too. As a foreign tourist, I felt safe in the neighborhood, and the decent-sized room had a king-size bed. The hotel is half a block from Copacabana Beach area #5, with a small rooftop pool and mini bar. Guests can’t go beyond the little lobby and ground-floor restaurant. I’d definitely choose it again.